To Love One Another
by Elizabeth8
Summary: Harry, Hermione, and Ron are returning to Hogwarts for their sixth year. Secret loves, love tangles, and numerous crushes! Not yet though! R/R!
1. Chapter One: Seeing Each Other Again

**Disclaimer:** *Sarcasm*Yes! I own Harry Potter even though my name is Elizabeth Collier, not J.K. Rowling. I own Harry Potter, and I don't give a damn what you all say! I OWN HARRY POTTER!!!! That's exactly why I am writing a fanfiction on fanfiction.net.*End Sarcasm* Sorry 'bout that. Had to get that out of my system! Anyway, I do not own Harry Potter, so don't sue me. [If you sued me, the only thing you'd get in some pocket lint, because I'm broke.]

**Author's Note:** I've decided to start another fanfic, but I am going to finish _Everything Changes_. This might just end up to be a one-chapter thing, who knows? I sure don't. Anyway, I am going to see how I do with first person. So, here goes. Oh, and I would just like to say something concerning my other story: I haven't read many fics on here, so if there is another story that has someone named Cressida Malfoy, it is entirely coincidental. When I was trying to come up with a name, I asked my best friend Kelsey, and she gave me that name. I don't even have any idea where the name came from, or how she thought of it, so I hope that explains it. *Big grin*

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**Chapter One: Seeing Each Other Again**

Hermione 

"Harry!" I ran over to Harry Potter and flung my arms around his neck. I rained his cheeks and neck with little friendly pecks, and grinned into his shoulder when he returned the hug. "I missed you so much!"

"Well, that's a nice hello," said Harry, chuckling lightly.

Last year, I wouldn't have been so ecstatic to see Harry, but this year—our sixth year—was different. My parents and I had summer vacationed in the United States, which meant, obviously, I hadn't gotten the chance to visit the Burrow like I usually do. I had not seen Harry, or my other best friend, Ron Weasley, since the end of our fifth year.

Finally, I let go of Harry and just looked into his big emerald green eyes. It was so nice to see his eyes sparkling again. "Where's Ron?" I asked, suddenly noticing that tall, red-headed Ron wasn't there.

Harry grinned down at me. "He's coming right now."

Sure enough, Ron rushed over and scooped me into a big hug. I laughed. "Happy to see me?" I asked playfully.

"Hell yes!"

It's a well-known fact around the sixth-year student body that Ron has a crush on me. It has been a well-known fact for quite sometime. I've tried and tried to let him down gently, even going to the extreme measures of saying I liked somebody else, but he didn't get the picture. My best girl friend, Chloe Peterson, (a girl that came as an exchange student last year, whom Harry and Ron don't like very well) encouraged me to just go along and flirt with him. So, stupid me, took her advice. Now, I have Ron practically doing anything I want on any given command. And I don't like it!

I laughed again, and Ron let me go. I could tell it was a little reluctantly. "Did you guys have a good summer?" I asked. They didn't answer, so right away I knew that Harry's summer with the Dursleys was awful, and Ron's summer with Percy, Bill, and Charlie back at home was awful too. "Well...my summer wasn't that great either," I lied, crossing my fingers behind my back. The truth was, I had actually had a _wonderful_ summer in Virginia visiting family. I met a lot of my cousins—distant cousins, but nonetheless cousins—as well as some aunts and uncles. I got to see my mom's dad and mom, my grandparents, and I went shopping in a lot of Muggle malls and such. But I wouldn't tell Harry and Ron, because the looks on their faces looked like they had been put through living hell.

"HERMIONE GRANGER?! IS THAT YOU?"

I spun around and faced the direction the shrill voice was coming from. I was immediately looking at Parvati Patil, one of my roommates. "Hello, Parvati," I said with fake friendliness.

"Hola! Que tal?"

Harry, Ron, and I all gave Parvati a strange look. "Uh, what?" I asked.

"It's Spanish, silly!" Parvati said, giggling. "I learned it over the summer, because my sister visited Mexico, and she had to learn the basic Spanish stuff! It means, 'Hello! How are you?'"

Oh, yippee. I just remembered why I try at all costs to avoid Parvati Patil—her perkiness at all hours of the day, during any situation, in any class, including Potions with Professor Snape. (As if you can be cheery in that class!) "Oh, well, how about we just stick to regular ol' English?" I suggested.

Parvati's face fell. "Well, I just wanted to show off my Spanish skills, Herm," she muttered. "I guess I'll go find Lav. I'm sure _she'll_ appreciate my new language skills."

I watched the dark-brown haired girl retreat, and then I turned back to Harry and Ron. "Well, that was interesting, wasn't it?" The boys grinned. "Hey, look. We better go get on the train, before it leaves us." The three of us walked over to the long red train that had 'Hogwarts Express' written on it. We boarded, and found our usual compartment, the one we had shared ever since second year. (The same one I found Harry and Ron sitting in while I was looking for a toad in our first year.) It's sort of a tradition to sit in that same compartment now, because that's where the three of us together first met.

It was a good fifteen minutes before we had everything just right. Harry sat beside of me on one of the benches, and Ron sat across from Harry. Our stuff was all piled in Ron's seat, and it kept falling over onto him. As usual, I had some books stacked and ready for me to read, and Ron had a game of Exploding Snap ready in case Harry wanted to play. Now it was sort of a ritual for me to read while Harry and Ron played either wizard's chess or Exploding Snap. Then, we'd buy some bags of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans and test them out, to see which of us would get the nastiest flavor first. (Ron always loses.)

This year was different, for some reason. Harry just sat there, Ron looking at him expectantly. I didn't start reading any of the thick books I had ready, because it didn't seem right to begin reading until the boys began playing. So all of us just sat there, in a weird silence.

"Isn't this fun?"

We sat in silence for a few minutes, until somebody started pouding on the compartment door. I opened it, and there stood none other than Draco Malfoy, a Death Eater's son, who everybody knows and loves (to hate). His goons and "friends", Crabbe and Goyle, stood on either side of him, as if they were his bodyguards. His lips twisted up into his trademark smirk, and his icy grey-blue eyes held no emotion. Malfoy was wearing a pair of baggy khakis, and a black wifebeater, a Muggle outfit. Whether I wanted to admit it or not, Malfoy looked good. I would even go as far as saying that he looked sexy. If it was anybody _but_ Malfoy, I would say he looked hot.

"Why...if is isn't Potty, the Weasel, and the Mudblood," he said, sneering at us like we were inferior.

"Just go away Malfoy, and don't make trouble," I said, a hint of warning in my voice. "I want to start this school year off without any fights involving you."

Malfoy rolled his eyes. "Granger just doesn't want her little boyfriends to get hurt," he told Crabbe and Goyle. "Granger's afraid if we fight, I'll hurt Potty and the Weasel, and then they won't be able to follow her around doing little 'tasks' anymore."

"Er...yeah," Crabbe and Goyle agreed, nodding their heads forcefully. This caused them to go stumbling backwards from dizziness, and when they regained their balance, they plastered stupid looks on their faces. Then they started laughing, and Malfoy gave them a look that plainly stated, 'You're stupid'.

Ron jumped up and lunged at Malfoy. I caught his arm and pulled him back. "Don't. Do not sink to their level, got it, Ron?" I narrowed my brown eyes at Malfoy. "I'm not afraid of you, and I think your threats and names are immature and stupid. I refuse to let Harry, Ron, or myself sink to your level, which is the lowest of low, might I add. So, could you please leave and go screw with someone else's mind? I'm sure _Pansy Parkinson_ would love the attention."

At the mention of Pansy Parkinson's name, Draco's face turned from amusement at my standing up to him, to a look of pure and utter disgust. "Do not mention that wench around me again, got it Granger?"

"Yeah, Malfoy, I got it," I said. "Now, if you don't mind, could you please leave. Or maybe I should tell Pansy that you're looking for her..."

"I really have to go..." Malfoy said, backing away. "Come on, Crabbe, come on, Goyle." They walked away, and I could see Malfoy's blonde head shaking, as if he could hardly believe he just walked away from a fight.

"That was too simple," Harry stated, looking at a dazed-looking Ron. "Malfoy is not one to walk away from a fight without the last word."

Ron nodded. He stood there a moment, and then returned to his seat. "I have a feeling that's not the last we've seen of Draco Malfoy." His face turned cheerful, and then he turned to Harry. "Wanna play Exploding Snap?"

With a sigh, Harry agreed. Since the boys were playing their usual game, I figured it was time for me to read. I selected a small paperback I had in my stack, much to my surprise (as well as the boys'), because I'm more of a fan of thick hardbacks. I looked at the title: _The Summer of Friendships and Lovers_, and I instantly could tell that it was a mushy romance novel. Perfect. I settled back into the cushy seat, and began reading. Everything was back to normal.

============

"They look so scared," Chloe Peterson said, pointing at the large group of new first years, who were standing at the front of the Great Hall, ready to be Sorted. "When I was first Sorted, it wasn't quite a big deal, because I came in fifth year, not first." She giggled, a screechy laugh that was starting to annoy me to no end.

"Well, of course they look scared. This is their first year in a school of witchcraft and wizardry," I said, pushing some hair behind my ear. I turned to Harry, who was sitting on my right side. I opened my mouth to speak, but closed it again, and just watched him. He had a content look on his face, his emerald-green eyes sparkling as usual. I just admired how cute Harry looked when he just stared into space...then it hit me. _Oh my God. I'm falling for Harry Potter._ And the truth was, I was falling. And I was falling hard.

============

"Hey, Herm..."

I looked up and found myself staring into the big green eyes that were so familiar to me. The eyes of Harry Potter. Harry stood towering over me, a look of confusion on his handsome face. "Yeah, Harry?" I asked, a surge of hope rushing through me.

"Um...well. Ron wanted me to ask you...if you'd go out with him?" He fidgeted nervously, tugging on the bottom of his baggy shirt that had probably once belong to Dudley, his cousin.

I looked down at the book in my hands, the same one I had been reading on the train. "Damn. I don't know what to say," I said, sighing. "Why does he keep asking me out when he knows I don't like him?" I hadn't meant to say that out loud, but I had. I could have been imagining things, but I think I saw a look of relief wash over Harry's face when I said I didn't like Ron.

"He said that he thinks you like him now. Because you were sending vibes off on the train or something. I dunno..." Harry's voice trailed off, and he looked expectantly at me. "What do you want me to tell him?"

I glanced over at Ron, who was sitting in front of the fireplace. (There wasn't a fire burning in it yet, either.) "Tell him I said I will consider it," I said. I didn't want to hurt him. "Harry, I really don't like him, but I don't want to say no."

Harry smiled at me sympathetically. "Okay...well. I'll tell him. And hopefully he'll understand." He turned and walked off towards Ron. He obviously told Ron what I had said, because I could see a look of renewed hope crossing over his face.

I sighed. "What have I gotten myself into?" I asked myself, barely above a whisper so that no one could hear me.

============

**Author's Note:** That's the end of the first chapter. I'll most likely add a few more chapters to it, while I'm working on my other fic. (Which you guys have to go check out! It's D/Hr!) So, for now, I've gotta go! Read and review, and please leave constructive criticism! Oh, and if you guys can come up with any title better than 'To Love One Another' PLEASE let me know. I can't think of one! Tell me in your reviews! Love, Elizabeth.


	2. Chapter Two: Stolen Kisses and Many Emo...

**Disclaimer:** *Sarcasm*Yes! I own Harry Potter even though my name is Elizabeth Collier, not J.K. Rowling. I own Harry Potter, and I don't give a damn what you all say! I OWN HARRY POTTER!!!! That's exactly why I am writing a fanfiction on fanfiction.net.*End Sarcasm* Sorry 'bout that. Had to get that out of my system! Anyway, I do not own Harry Potter, so don't sue me. [If you sued me, the only thing you'd get in some pocket lint, because I'm broke.]

**Author's Note:** I've decided to start another fanfic, but I am going to finish _Everything Changes_. This might just end up to be a one-chapter thing, who knows? I sure don't. Anyway, I am going to see how I do with first person. So, here goes.

============

**Chapter Two: Stolen Kisses and Many Emotions**

**Hermione**

I hadn't really gotten myself in to much. Over the next week, I told Ron no, and that I would never like him as more than a friend, and that I liked someone else. He said he understood, and that he wasn't mad at me, and then said it better not be Malfoy that I liked. I assured him it was not Malfoy.

The months passed, and the seasons changed so quickly, it almost seemed as if someone was fast-forwarding time. Then, all of a sudden, it was early December. Christmas decorations went up all over the school, sixth and seventh years were being nominated as the King and Queen of Hogwarts, a new award that Professor McGonagall just had to award somebody, at the Snowflake Ball coming up on Christmas Eve. Oh, and Draco Malfoy and I were told that we got the honors of decorating the eight-foot tall tree in the Great Hall.

"Okay. That's enough lights," I said, brushing back loose strands of hair that had fallen from my messy bun. "Let's start on the ornaments."

Malfoy just stared at me. "I don't think that's enough lights. I say we put more," he argued, crossing his arms over his chest.

I threw my hands up over my head in exasperation. "Can we not agree on anything?" I asked out loud, not for anyone in particular to hear.

Malfoy looked thoughtful. "I don't know, Granger."

Suddenly, I found him advancing toward me. He had be backed against a wall, leaning in so close to be that I could feel his warm breath on me, and all of a sudden he kissed me. It was definitely not a friendly kiss, not one of those kisses that I had given Harry and Ron numerous times. It was a loving, or at least a liking, kiss. The kiss didn't surprise me...well, maybe it did...but what surprised me more, was that I was kissing him back. I realized what I was doing, and tried to back away, but the wall was behind me. Malfoy pressed up against me more, and he grabbed my butt with his right hand while his left hand gripped my right hip—**hard**. I was melting into the kiss. _HERMIONE! Don't do this. Push him. Make him go away. You don't know where his slimy Slytherin lips have been! This is Draco Malfoy...and I'm letting him kiss me? My first kiss?_ At the thought of that, I found my strength and put my hands up against his muscular chest. And I pushed him away.

"What the bloody hell was that, Malfoy?" I asked angrily, pushing past him and heading for the entrance/exit. "Did I say you could kiss me? And why did you kiss a Mudblood"—I cringed at the name—"like me anyway? Was it a dare?"

"No...no. Hermione, it wasn't a dare. I—I kissed you because I like you. I kissed you because you're hot and sexy and have a nice ass."

I glared daggers at him. "SO THAT'S ALL I AM? NOT ONLY AM I A MUDBLOOD, TO YOU, I'M SOME CHICK WITH A PRETTY FACE AND A NICE ASS!" I turned and began to walk away, but felt a cold hand on my bare elbow. "What do you want?" I spun around and I was staring into Malfoy's chest; so, I looked up into his eyes.

"No, Hermione," Malfoy said, still using my name. "You do have a pretty face and a nice ass, but you're more than that. You're Hermione Granger. And you have Hermione Granger's personality. You're smart, funny, nice to everyone...most of the time. And that is why I kissed you."

I rolled my eyes. "I'm not falling for your sweet talk, Malfoy," I whispered. And then I wriggled my arm from his grip, and stormed out of the Great Hall.

============

"Where have you been all day?"

I looked up to the giggly source of the voice, and found myself looking at Ron's little sister, Ginny Weasley. "Decorating that damn Christmas tree with Malfoy," I spat, as if it was the worst thing in the world. "I'd rather gouge my eyeballs out with a blunt fork than work with that—that—_MALFOY_!"

Ginny laughed. "What did he do?" she asked, her face turning serious. I could tell she was expecting me to say that he called me a 'filty Mudblood' one too many times, or maybe a different name. But she wasn't expecting what came out of my mouth.

"Malfoykissedme," I mumbled, running my words together and hoping that Ginny wouldn't be able to decipher what I had said. But, of course, she did.

"DRACO MALFOY KISSED YOU?" she squealed in delight. "The sexiest guy in Hogwarts kissed you—oh my God. Lord...who knew? Did you kiss him back!?"

I looked up at the girl with bright red hair and smiled. "Well, yeah...but I don't like him! He's—he's Malfoy!" I exclaimed. Then I groaned when Parvati Patil and Lavender Brown practically broke the door down.

"DRACO KISSED YOU?" they demanded in unison. The both of them looked and sounded like stupid teenyboppers that were in love with Justin Timberlake, except it was Draco Malfoy. Lavender practically fainted onto my bed. "What was it like? What would you rate his kiss?"

I stared at her. "I am not going to rate how Draco Malfoy kisses, Lavender. It was totally unexpected..."

"Where did he kiss you?" Parvati asked through a sigh of delight.

"Well...the Great Hall. We were decorating the Christmas tree. We got in an arguement, and then, all of a sudden, he had me backed against a wall"—I shot Parvati and Lavender death looks, because they were making sighing noises, and I couldn't take it anymore—"and then he kissed me." I looked down, embarrassed. "And, well, I kind of kissed him back."

Parvati and Lavender hopped up and jumped up and down. "Hermione's going out with Draco! Hermione's going out with Draco! Hermione's going out with Draco!" the sang together.

"NO, I'm not. I do not like him!" I screeched.

Ginny, Parvati, and Lavender all gave me knowing looks. "Okay, Hermione," Lavender said. "We believe you. So, how would you rate his kiss."

For some reason, I joined in on their giggle-fest. "I'd give him a nine." The three of them stared at me like I was stupid. "No tongue!" I exclaimed, laughing with the rest of them.

And I immediately felt even stupider.

============

**Draco**

I brought my hand up to my lips, where a burning sensation still remained from two hours before. "I kissed her," I murmured to myself. "And it felt good." Thoughts were dancing around in my head. Thoughts of what my father, Lucius, would say if I told him I kissed a Mud—a Muggle-born. And what Lucius would say when I told him I was not becoming a Death Eater, and I did not want to join Lord Voldemort's side in any shape, form, or fashion.

I tried to think of something else besides me kissing her, and how she kissed me back. But then I remembered she pushed me away and stormed out of the Great Hall. No one walks away from me, Draco Malfoy. I always got what I wanted, and right then, I wanted Hermione Granger. And nothing was going to stop me from getting her.

Just then, Crabbe and Goyle barged into the dorm we share, looking like idiots, as usual. "Er...hi, Draco," Crabbe said, rubbing a hand against his head. "Er...Professor McGonagall wants to see you..."

I groaned and rolled of my bed. Then I ran down the stairs to the common room, and out the portrait hole. As I turned a corner, I bumped into somebody. To keep her from hitting the floor, I grabbed her waist and uprighted her. She turned to say thanks, but then she realized it was me.

"Oh, it's you, Malfoy," Granger said angrily, blushing from the fact that I had just saved her from busting her face on the cold stone floor.

"Hey...I didn't ask you to kiss me again. I just didn't want you to bust your face on the floor," I said defensively. I shrugged and began walking down the stairs.

As I expected, Granger rushed after me. "I _did not_ kiss you!" she exclaimed. "I would never, ever, kiss a slimy Slytherin—"

I cut her off with another kiss. This time, I forced my tongue inside of her mouth, and our tongues danced. _Granger's pretty good kisser,_ I told myself. _I'd give her a...ten out of ten._ No one, not even Pansy Parkinson, has gotten a ten out of ten. After a few minutes, I pulled away from her. "Still think I'm a slimy Slytherin?"

She looked up at me. "Yes," she whispered. "But that's okay." And she stood on her tiptoes and kissed me gently, then harder as she deepened our third kiss. Suddenly, she pushed me away again, and shook her head in disbelief. "What is going on here? No way am I kissing you!" She stormed down the hall towards McGonagall's office, where Professor McGonagall was waiting outside.

"Ah, yes. Miss Granger and Mr. Malfoy," Professor McGonagall said as I sauntered over to them, slowly. "I would just like to inform you that as the two sixth years in the dance committee, you two will be going to the Snowflake Ball together. If that is okay with you both." She looked at us questioningly.

Granger looked horrified, but she mumbled, "Yeah. It's fine with me." I figured she had planned on going with Potty or the Weasel.

"Yeah, sure," I said, resisting the urge to jump up and down and yell, "HELL YES!" at the top of my lungs. "I mean, if I have to go with the half-blood..."

"Alright then, it's all set. Since you're going as a couple, you will also be nominated for the King and Queen of the Ball, as well as Hogwarts," Professor McGonagall explained. "I hope that's quite alright with both of you?"

Granger nodded miserably, and I nodded too. "Yes, Professor, that's perfect." The perfect chance for me to make Hermione mine.

============

**Harry**

"Are you okay, Herm?" I asked, looking over at Hermione, who was sitting on the couch with a book in her hands. But she was staring off into space, as if she were dazed.

"Huh? Oh yes, I really hope Gryffindor wins the House Cup," she mumbled. Then it was like all of a sudden she snapped out of it. "Oh, you weren't talking about the House Cup." She shook her head. "Yeah, I'm fine, Harry."

I looked at her strangely. I had a sudden urge to lean in and kiss her, but I didn't. "Oh, okay," I replied. Finally, I decided to add, "You've been kinda spacy this week."

"Malfoy and I have been working on the Christmas tree in the Great Hall," she said, a little distracted. "You know...we're on the dance committee too."

I grinned. "That's cool." I had a feeling that there was something she didn't tell me.

"Okay, Harry, fine!" she finally exclaimed. "You don't have to pry! I have to go to the Snowflake Ball with Malfoy because we're the two sixth years on the dance committee! And we're automatically nominated for the King and Queen of the Ball, and the King of Queen of Hogwarts," she said quickly. "There. Are you happy now?"

I just stared at her. Then I leaned down, and planted a light kiss on her lips. She pulled away and muttered, "Not this again!"

"What?"

She buried her head in her hands. "Nothing, Harry," she mumbled. "I'm really sleepy. So, I'm going to go upstairs."

I watched her stand up and march up the stairs, murmuring something about, "Why do people kiss me?" And I wondered, who else has kissed her? Ron, maybe? _Nah, he's too shy._ Then it dawned on me. "Malfoy," I said aloud.

============

"Malfoy kissed her!" I yelled, barging into the sixth year boys' dorm I shared with Ron, Dean Thomas, Seamus Finnigan, and Neville Longbottom.

"Who?" Dean asked, looking up at me from his Transfiguration textbook.

"Yeah, who did Malfoy kiss?" Neville asked.

"HERMIONE!" I yelled. "When I get my hands on that damn bastar—" I stopped and looked around. "Oh, what was I saying?"

Seamus died laughing. "Somebody's got a little crush on Hermione," he said, staring pointedly at me. I could feel Ron's eyes burning a hole through me too.

"No, no. Of course I don't like Hermione. I mean...well, you know. I'm just worried that Malfoy did something to her—other than kissing her, that is," I mumbled, trying to get everyone's eyes off of me. I looked over at Ron, who was staring off into space. "Ron?"

"I'm going to kill him" Ron said under his breath.

I grinned stupidly. The truth was, I wanted to kill him too. 

============

**Ron**

"Malfoy kissed her!"

I looked up and stared at Harry, who had just barged into the dorm with a red face. He started talking to Neville, Dean, and Seamus, but I just sat there, staring off into space. Draco Malfoy had kissed Hermione, and Hermione hadn't told me. Suddenly, when Harry practically yelled, "When I get my hands on that damn bastar—" I looked up. Seamus had just accused Harry of liking Hermione. _If he does, he's gonna lose a friend,_ I told myself. When Harry quickly said, "No, no. Of course I don't like Hermione. I mean...well, you know. I'm just worried that Malfoy did something to her—other than kissing her, that is," I sighed inwardly, glad that Harry didn't like her.

Now, ten minutes later, Dean, Neville, and Seamus had all disappeared down to the common room, probably to spread the fact that Draco Malfoy had kissed Hermione Granger. I was lying on my bed, when I heard Harry say, "I do like Hermione." I almost jumped up and beat his face in.

"You what?" I demanded, hoping that I hadn't heard correctly.

"I'm sorry, Ron, but I really do like Hermione. When I saw her at the train station...I mean—wow," Harry stated simply, getting a dreamy look in his eyes. Then he looked guilty. "And...well...I kissed her too." He obviously saw my questioning face and said, "Down in the common room, before I came up here. She pushed me away and ran up the stairs muttering something about 'Why do people kiss me?'. And I realized that Malfoy had obviously kissed her."

I smiled wryly. "Malfoy's a prick. I hate him more now," I said, mostly to myself.

"Yeah," Harry agreed. A few minutes later, I heard a light snoring, and figured Harry had fallen asleep. So I laid my head down and fell asleep, too.

============

**Hermione**

December nineteenth came quicker than ever for some reason. It might have been because all of my classes were easy, and it recquired hardly any work to excel in them. I was getting bored, except in Potions class. Snape found a way every day to at least give me a mark below perfect score, and always succeeded. Except for one day, when he paired me with Malfoy. We worked together, not calling each other names, and I figured it probably had something to do with the kisses. And the dance.

The nineteenth was a pretty day. Snow was falling lightly outside, and a lot of kids were outside playing in the snow that had fallen previously. Harry and Ron were outside, along with Ginny, Lavender, Parvati, and (thankfully) Chloe. I had decided to stay inside in the Library and work on the Potions extra-credit that I had begged Snape to give me for the break. (Which, he finally agreed and said it was my 'Christmas present from him'.)

"Granger."

The familiar voice interrupted my thoughts. I turned around and saw Malfoy standing behind my chair. "Hello, Malfoy," I said, rather annoyed that he had interrupted my thoughts. "Do you need something?" Ever since the night Professor McGonagall had told Malfoy and me that we were to go to the dance together, he hadn't bothered to speak to me, outside of Potions class, when we were paired up.

"Actually, I was wondering what color you were wearing to the Ball," he said, looking down as if he couldn't believe he actually had asked me a question without calling me a name. "So I can decide what color to wear."

"Oh, the Ball. I almost forgot." Actually, the Ball was the only thing on my mind for a while. "I haven't gone shopping for dress robes yet. I'm going to get me a pair when we go to Hogsmeade this weekend," I answered.

Malfoy stood there for a moment, and then sat down beside of me. "White would look good on you," he said quietly.

I looked up at him, surprised. "Um. Okay. If you want me to wear white, I will," I answered. After a second, I added, "And you should wear black."

I almost saw a sign of a smile on Malfoy's face, but he twisted it into a smirk. "Black and white—classic colors," Malfoy said. "Alright then, it's a deal. I'll meet you outside the school on Saturday morning. We're going to Hogsmeade together." Then he turned and walked out the door, without waiting for an answer from me.

I sighed. Contrary to my thought at the beginning of the year, I didn't think I was falling for Harry anymore.

============

"Alright. I'll meet you guys at the Three Broomsticks in an hour," I told Harry, Ron, Lavender, and Parvati.

The four of them nodded in agreement. Ron reached for Parvati's hand, and they grinned at each other. Then, I saw Harry take Lavender's hand, and the four of them walked down the road. "Well. Now I feel all left out," I said aloud, not really meaning to.

Malfoy chuckled, and laced his fingers through my hand. "Now. How's that?" he asked, grinning down at me.

I was shocked, but I let him hold my hand. "Perfect," I said. We walked to Madame Malkin's dress robe shop, and stepped inside. Madame Malkin walked out, saw Malfoy and me holding hands, and immediately I saw a smile spread across her face.

"Dress robes for the Snowflake Ball, I see?" Madame Malkin inquired. "For the lovely couple. What colors would you like?"

"We're not a couple," I quickly said. I pulled my hand from Malfoy's, and said, "We're just going to the Ball together. Because we're the two sixth years on the dance committee, and I suppose—" I stopped talking when I felt Malfoy nudge me in the side. "The colors...oh yeah. I want a white dress robe, and he wants—"

"—black," Malfoy finished, grinning at me.

Madame Malkin smiled as well. "Alright. I'm sure that there are some robes right over there"—she pointed—"that you will find to your liking." She walked away.

Malfoy took my hand again and pulled me over to the rack she was pointing at. Black and white dress robes of all kind were hanging from it. I sighed. "I'll never find anything in this mess of robes," I mumbled.

Suddenly, Draco pulled out a beautiful set of robes (that looked more like a dress than a robe) out and handed them to me. "I think you will look like a princess in this," he said.

I looked at it. It was beautiful. "I'll go try it on," I said quietly, and took it to the dressing room. I put it on, and found it suited me. The neckline was low, but not too low, so that there still was something left to the imagination. The skirt reached the floor, and on both sides there were slits that ran up to my mid-thigh, showing off my legs. When I moved, the dress seemed to sparkle and shine. "Perfect," I said to myself. I changed back into my clothes and stepped out. "This is it. I'm getting it."

Malfoy smiled. "See, I have great fashion sense don't I?" he asked. Then he pulled an entirely black suit off of the rack. He walked into the dressing room to try it on, and stepped out so I could see. The blackness set off his pale skin, and made him look sexy.

"I think we've got it," I said after he changed. We walked up and paid for our new Ball clothes, and then walked to the Three Broomsticks. When we entered, everybody stopped talking and stared. Then I realized we were still holding hands. Malfoy squeezed my hand and we walked to the table where Harry, Lavender, Ron, and Chloe sat sipping their butterbeers. "Hey," I said, sitting down. Malfoy squeezed beside of me, and I rested my leg on his.

"You're late," Chloe said.

"It took a while to get the perfect robes," I said. Malfoy squeezed my hand again.

Lavender's face brightened. "Will you show us?"

"No," I said, grinning mischeviously. "We want to make a grand entrance."

Nobody spoke any more of what our dress robes looked like. We sat talking about everything but. And then I realized that now, I was falling for Malfoy. Draco Malfoy.

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**Author's Note:** There's chapter two! I'm proud of myself, because I made it a bit more longish...*YAY* Also, as you may have noticed, there's more people talking in first person in this chapter than last. (In the last chapter only Hermione talked.) Tell me if you'd rather have it just one person a chapter, or more than one. Well, I'm still looking for another name to call this...so tell me in your reviews! And I betcha don't know who Herm's gonna end up with! *Giggle* evilly. As you can also tell, this chapter is for the Draco/Hermione fans, like myself! Hehe! In your review, please tell me if you'd rather it be Draco/Hermione or Harry/Hermione. Um, please review, and I will love ya! And thanks to all who reviewed!! Love, Elizabeth.


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